Category Archives: Makeup

Hey girl! I’ve been super busy lately but I had to show you what I ordered:

This is Milani’s Paint Eyeshadow Palette. $7.99. That’s right. $7.99. Believe it, baby. I’ve been using Milani cosmetics for several years now, and I have been thrilled with everything I’ve purchased. Nail color, eyeliner, eyeshadow, lipsticks… they’re all amazing. Milani’s colors are rich, bold, and they last all day. Do yourself a favor and place an order this month (or, if you’re fortunate enough to live near a store that carries Milani products, pick one up) – this particular palette is a limited edition.

Betty here… I have been brainstorming on how to start off my little blog, and today, during my daily online shopping trip, I decided I’d start out with a makeup-centric post.

For anyone who knows me, it’s common knowledge that I have a bit of a makeup fetish. Fun eyeshadows are definitely my favorite, but recently I’m venturing back into the land of lipstick. I usually tend to accent my eyes and coat my lips with something basic… straight Vaseline is a standby of mine, if that gives you any idea how much time I spend on lip color. But I keep seeing these amazing new lipsticks, so I’m thinking my look for spring may change to a neutral eye (complete with thick false eyelashes, of course) and cheek with a bright pop of color on my lips.

Since watching the January 29th episode of Saturday Night Live, I have become obsessed with Nicki Minaj’s lipstick, MAC’s Pink 4 Friday. Like crazy obsessed. But, after finding out that I’d have to shell out $45 or more to get it, with no guarantee that it will even go with my skin tone, I decided to search for a cheaper alternative.

In my quest, I stumbled across Barry M Cosmetics. Or my own personal heaven, if you will. I haven’t tested any colors because Barry M is a UK company and shipping runs about $16 U.S. For now, just drooling over their amazing choices will have to be enough to satisfy my makeup daydreams. Barry M does carry a color that is similar to the MAC Pink 4 Friday – they call theirs Baby Pink (aka #100), so if you’re adventurous and willing to wait on international shipping, give them a shot!

Lime Crime is a brand that I discovered not long ago that features tons of insane colors. According to their site, their founder couldn’t find makeup that was bright enough for her tastes, so she decided to create her own. Lime Crime’s answer to Pink 4 Friday is Barbie Pink, a divine lavender pink that really is an exact replica of the iconic doll’s favorite tone. The Lime Crime packaging is almost too cute for words – poppy magenta with unicorns! The site itself is adorable too. I’ve had tons of fun drooling over all the pictures, the tutorials are wonderful, and pretty much every product is around $15. AND… the very best part? You can get 25% off everything until February 6 with the code LOVE!

A brand that I do have a lot of experience with is Milani Cosmetics. I’m not sure which of their lip colors would be closest to the MAC real deal, but I can tell you that their entire selection of colors just POPS. The line is available at Target and CVS, with more choices available on the Milani website. My recommendation for a Milani test run is the Color Brilliance Eye Pencil. They are just fab for quickly adding some serious color to a basic face. I can assure you that the colors are strong and true, and they will last all day. The color payoff is well worth the discount store price.

So I guess my real point is that it is rarely necessary to drop any serious money on makeup (or clothes, shoes, and accessories, btw) when there are so many glorious yet inexpensive choices out there! Think outside the box, do some comparison shopping, keep an eye on the fashion mags and music scene, research vintage looks to replicate, and you will end up with some pretty amazing options.